Collared pika

Collared pika[1]
Collared pika at Denali National Park

Secure  (NatureServe)[3]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Lagomorpha
Family: Ochotonidae
Genus: Ochotona
Species:
O. collaris
Binomial name
Ochotona collaris
(E. W. Nelson, 1893)
Collared pika range

The collared pika (Ochotona collaris) is a species of mammal in the pika family, Ochotonidae, and part of the order Lagomorpha, which comprises rabbits, hares, and pikas.[4] It is a small (about 160 g (5.6 oz)) alpine lagomorph that lives in boulder fields of central and southern Alaska (U.S.),[5] and in parts of Canada, including northern British Columbia, Yukon, and western parts of the Northwest Territories. It is closely related to the American pika (O. princeps), but it is a monotypic form containing no recognized subspecies.[2] The name comes from distinctive patches of grayish fur on its nape and shoulders that form a “collar.”[5] It is asocial, does not hibernate,[6] and spends a large part of its time in the summer collecting vegetation that is stored under rocks ("haypiles") as a supply of food for the winter.[7] Some individuals have been observed collecting and consuming dead birds as sources of fat and protein.[8] Thousands of trips are made during July and August to collect vegetation for winter.

  1. ^ Hoffman, R.S.; Smith, A.T. (2005). "Order Lagomorpha". In Wilson, D.E.; Reeder, D.M (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 186–187. ISBN 978-0-8018-8221-0. OCLC 62265494.
  2. ^ a b Lanier, H. and Hik, D. (2016). "Ochotona collaris". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T41257A45182533. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T41257A45182533.en. Retrieved 13 November 2021.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ "NatureServe Explorer 2.0". explorer.natureserve.org. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
  4. ^ Lanier, Hayley Christine Stover (2010). Phylogeography, Ecogeographic Variation, And Evolutionary History Of The Collared Pika (Ochotona collaris) (Thesis). hdl:11122/9034. ProQuest 751922249.
  5. ^ a b Savage, Melissa. "Ochotona collaris". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 2007-08-22.
  6. ^ "Ochotona collaris". Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Retrieved 2007-08-22.
  7. ^ "Collared Pika". Yukon Government. Archived from the original on 2008-09-05. Retrieved 2007-08-22.
  8. ^ Leininger, Charlene. "ADW: Ochotona collaris: INFORMATION". Retrieved 2013-06-11.